My 5-year-old loves the water! When she was barely 4, I enrolled her in an expensive preschool swim class that she loved, but she didn't learn how to swim - in fact, it was like she flunked the class -- which I hear is normal for that age. Now we have an above ground pool that she wants to go in every day. She can touch the bottom, but still doesn't know how to swim. I just enrolled her in swim classes at the Oswego YMCA -- it's a 7-week course that starts this week. We'll see if it does the trick. I learned how to swim at the old YMCA in Aurora. The classes are reasonably priced even for non-residents, like me. I'd rather not pay for one-on-one instruction, so I'm hopeful!

There was a great video showing a baby who probably cold not even walk, under water and turning to his back so that he cold float and survive if he were to fall in. I think the younger the better but I have to admit, my kids have never had swimming lessons. They just eventually learn. I think I was swimming by age four. I loved water. Some kids just do not take to the water very well and never attempt to teach themselves. Maybe those type of children would benefit from lessons. The ones who love water from an early age probably are self taught by an early age. At least that is what I am seeing from my side. I think it depends on what you want for your child. We haven't needed them. We are not swimming very often too. I was swimming almost daily when I was growing up at our town pool. It was a must that I learned how to swim and when I did, my parents would let me go with friends at an early age. We did not really wear floaties then, I remember. Kind of scary. I think I was around five when I was able to go without them. Neither of my parents knew how to swim. Go figure. You either have the drive or you don't.

My son and I took classes at the Vaughan Center through the FVPD earlier this year. He was two and still doesn't know to swim but he can doggie paddle with a life vest on which makes me more comfortable when we are around water. The point of the
class was to get him use to the water and I would say we accomplished that. The therapy pool was nice and warm too! He starts classes again this time by himself on Aug.5, he's 3 now and I'm hoping he will be one step closer to swimming when he's done.

With the first 2, they did the parent/tot class at the park district. They didn't really enjoy it because the weather was unpredictable and they were often cold. We didn't bother with that for our youngest. She'll start at 3 in swimming lessons through Chicago Swim School which uses the Americinn facility here in Oswego. We've been very pleased with them for our older kids (6 & 4).

I know I'm not a mom, but I thought I would offer what we have done. My wife and I enrolled my son Caiden (2.5 years) into the Naperville YMCA swim program when he was 6 months old. Under the guidance of a great staff, Caiden learned not only to trust the water, but also how to do the dog paddle and how to climb in/out of the pool safely. We enrolled him in the same class 3 more times. This was because the instructors wanted to move him up, but they said that class was for 3-6 year olds. After going through the class, Caiden and I joined the FVPD and we swim every Sunday at the Vaughn center. He LOVES the water. While playing and splashing, my wife and I interject the importance of safety, and the understanding of personal space. Caiden is not yet swimming on his own, but in the next 6-12 months, we believe he will be an independent swimmer.. If you want a simple approach to swimming, I would suggest the YMCA Naperville.

My two boys just finished up swimming lessons for the year and would love to put them back in for another session. I think it's very important for your children to learn and the younger the better. Unfortunately none of mine learned before the age of 5 and partly because I didn't consistently sign them up for lessons. We loved Oswegoland Park Districts classes and are currently looking to sign up with Chicago Swim School or Swim with Bill. Swim with Bill is a little bit more reasonable then CSS. If I could go back I would have done those swimming lessons when they are still babies. For some reason I was scared to do it when they were so little though!

Isabella is currently taking swimming lessons through FVPD. (She also took the parent / tot class last summer.) I don't expect her to learn to swim at age 4 1/2, but hopefully she'll achieve a certain level of comfort in the water, be aware of safety issues, and have fun!
My parents didn't put me in swimming lessons until I was much older, maybe nine? I remember being very old in a class with a bunch of tiny kids and feeling humiliated! No surprise that I never really learned... But if I fall off a boat I'm sure that I could doggie-paddle for long enough to avoid drowning! Hopefully Isabella will take to it better than I did, but if she too can doggie-paddle for her life, then I'll be happy.

My girls started with Chicago Swim School at the beginning of last summer. They had no lessons prior to that. My youngest was 3 1/2. My oldest actually started about 6 wks into the session because she was so scared of the water and said there was no way she was going in. So I signed up the youngest and told the older one that it was fine if she didn't want to swim, but she had to go with and watch her sister every lesson. I wouldn't let her bring any games or anything, she had to sit and watch. Sure enough, she realized it must not be that bad watching all the little kids do it! Now my 4 1/2 yo can swim the length of the pool, not smoothly, but she can make it and she is just working on treading water. My oldest can swim the length of the pool pretty easily and tread water for a minute. We really LOVE Chicago Swim School. It is a little more expensive, but the schedule and style of teaching works well for us. I figure it is a life skill that you really need to know and I will pay for that one!

How do you go from hotdogs to yogurt? Sheesh stupid. Anywho as a father of a 19 year old who did a simple course at six weeks... try water babies. Its a YMCA class in other states that is swimming for newborns. Just saying.

Really hotdogs to yogurt? Come on.

Chris - I suggest that you try making yogurt popsicles with your 19-year-old. True summer bonding.